Output Interface With Latching Driver for LTS-SFQ Circuits

Abstract

We propose an output interface with a latching driver for single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuits operating at 4.2 K. An optimum critical current density J/sub c/ of the latching driver was discussed, and a multichip module (MCM) structure with SFQ circuits and latching drivers was proposed for 40-Gb/s operation. To optimize J/sub c/ of the latching driver, we calculated the punchthrough probability of Nb-Al-AlO/sub x/-Nb junctions and high-temperature superconductor (HTS) junctions. The Nb junction with a J/sub c/ of 45 kA/cm/sup 2/, which has a hysteresis of 44% for the latching operation, leads to a punchthrough probability lower than 10/sup -15/ for an ideal ac-bias of 40 GHz. On the other hand, ramp-edge-type interface-modified junctions based on YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ have an optimum J/sub c/ of 60 kA/cm/sup 2/ that gives the smallest punchthrough probability lower than 10/sup -15/ for an ideal ac-bias of 40 GHz without any shunt capacitance. Because the optimum J/sub c/ of 45 kA/cm/sup 2/ for the latching driver is too large to fabricate large-scale integrated SFQ circuits with the Nb junction, the MCM structure consisting of SFQ circuits and latching drivers with the optimum J/sub c/ is important to prepare 40-Gb/s SFQ systems. The J/sub c/ of 60 kA/cm/sup 2/ is a practical value for the HTS junctions, and use of the low-temperature superconductor (LTS)-HTS MCM structure is also one way to realize the high-speed SFQ systems.